


Locked In

by Bethofbells



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: F/M, Locked In, dandy, otp, trope
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-04-08
Packaged: 2018-01-16 16:13:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1353676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bethofbells/pseuds/Bethofbells
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After for begging for some prompts on tumblr and twitter, I combined two that I received.</p><p>One from Grelca: pretend mindy wasn't actually dating cliff and she was working out for some other reason and after dcimpt danny decides to really let mindy know that he doesn't think she has anything to be insecure about .... </p><p>And one from luvs-jade: Mindy and Danny get stuck in the toilet that Peter and Morgan did …</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Tamra! Open up. You can't monopolize the bathroom like this! I have to pee before I head home!" Mindy hopped up and down. Her bladder was killing her. She pressed her knees together and banged on the door. "Tamra!"

Before she could start pounding again she felt a hand on her shoulder, she jerked her head around to glare at its owner. Peter. "Mindy, everyone's leaving for home, just use the men's." He angled his head to the door on the right. "It's not like anyone's gonna walk in on you dropping a deuce."

She frowned, "Ugh, Peter, you're disgusting. Ladies don't' call it that, and it's obvious that I need to pee, ok." She whimpered. "I drank like 120 ounces of water today. I'm on a cleanse." Her cleanse was a half-hearted attempt to carry on with the healthy changes she'd been making.

She'd been invited to go on a short alumni cruise, and as much as she hated the idea of wearing a bikini in January, she hated the idea of not being able to flaunt her success even more. Danny had been surprisingly helpful, being exactly the sort of workout buddy that she'd needed, not letting her weasel out of it all. She'd been working out with him for a couple weeks, but after their somewhat awkward, ok really awkward, nude encounters this week, she'd sort of been avoiding him. She was actually pretty irritated that things were so uncomfortable between them now, it totally unhinged her plan to debut her bangin' new bod in a couple weeks.

She groaned, leaning against the door, she was about to lose her cool and tear the damn thing from its hinges. She glanced back at Peter who was still staring at her, waiting for her to take his suggestion. "WHAT?"

Peter shrugged, clearly indifferent to whatever choice she made. "Well, I wouldn't count on Tamra vacating that bathroom any time soon. She's got a hot date with her boo." He shouldered his messenger bag and headed toward the elevator where a pouty Morgan was waiting for him. "We're heading out to _Salvador's_ tonight, you should meet up with us, 'cause it's _Friday Friday, gotta get down on Friday_." Peter was bobbing his head to the sound of imaginary music as they disappeared into the elevator.

Mindy looked back at the door in front of her. She could hear Tamra singing along to whatever song she was playing on her phone. Oh, screw it. She abruptly turned and stomped into the men's bathroom. Peter was right, there wasn't anyone here who would walk in on her, and even if they did, what exactly would they see? Her feet under the bottom of a stall? So what.

* * *

Danny couldn't concentrate. His desk was a mess of scattered patient files and medical journals. He'd had real trouble lately focusing things while at work. He'd been lying to himself for a while now, thinking he'd just been going through a phase, that perhaps he was just stressed out, but the reality was, he was perpetually distracted, and the cause of that distraction wasn't exactly something he could get away from.

They were friends… or something. He didn't really know what. He did know, that the things he did for her went above and beyond anything he'd ever done for friends in the past. It scared him a little, the ease with which she roped him into doing things he found irksome, or thought he would find irksome anyway.

_Danny, let's go get organic froyo for lunch._

_Danny, walk me home, I just watched a documentary about serial killers, and I'm, like, a prime target._

_Danny, listen to this song by Beyoncé, maybe you'll stop frowning._

_Danny, go on a double date with me and some d-bag who's not gonna treat me right._

_Danny, please be my personal trainer. I want to look hot for my alumni cruise. I'll probably meet some dickhead and shack up with him and have ten dickhead little tykes, that'll run around with names like Bentley and Aspen._

The sound of his pencil snapping in his right hand pulled him away from his musings. Shit. That last request had turned out to be the final straw. He'd said no, damn it, and yet when she'd began her wheedling, stroking his ego a little, grabbing at his bicep, things he _knew_ were blatantly manipulative, his brain couldn't really process it, and he'd heard himself reluctantly agreeing to all of it.

It had been a huge mistake. Hearing her talk continually about her body, and how she wanted to change it irked him, but he said little about it, because it was none of his business. Hearing her talk about her various plans to reel in a suitor while on her mini vacation, had totally rankled, and yet he still said little. Then he'd seen her naked, and he wouldn't have let it affect him, except she was so horrified by it all, her normally brash sense of self confidence had slipped, and he just couldn't take seeing her like that, and it struck an odd chord within him knowing she thought he didn't find her attractive. It was just so patently untrue.

With the best intentions he'd strode to her office, ready to tell her, finally, that she was a beautiful and bold woman, and that she got on every single nerve he had, and he wouldn't have it any other way. But, instead of finding her moping, she was spinning around in her birthday suit, smiling at her reflection in the full length mirror. _Who_ did something like that? In their office? In the middle of the day? Without locking the door? It was so unfair.

Sure, he'd seen her nude before, the one time he'd tried to be her doctor. Even the incident at the gym hadn't really affected him like this. She'd been so horrified, and scrambling to get away, that he hadn't even had time to think. But, in her office, for that split second before he realized what was happening, he'd taken her all in. The satisfied smile gracing her face as she looked at herself in the mirror had twisted his stomach into knots. She'd so casually swung her hair over her shoulder, the silken mass brushing against the smooth expanse of exposed skin at her back making his mouth dry. It was so different, seeing her like that, totally confident. He'd wanted to drink it all in, stare indefinitely, but he'd quickly remembered her discomfort from earlier and snapped back to reality, trying valiantly to be a gentleman.

He could barely even recall the conversation they'd had afterward. He just remembered her striding angrily into his office, positively glowing with the heat of her indignation, ready to rip him to shreds, fully expecting him to argue with her, but as she went along, that vulnerability he'd witnessed before seeped back into her voice. She'd ticked off a litany of things she assumed he would change about her. He'd found it so perplexing, again struck by how wrong she was.

But, he hadn't been articulate enough to say what he really thought, merely denying what she'd said, feeling somewhat giddy when she reacted physically to his words, at first even more vulnerable than before, but slowly putting back up her unapologetic confidence. He'd said something stupid about personal grooming, the mere thought of which had his ears burning again. He was baiting her, wanting to rile her up, but she'd just turned it back on him and made him feel slightly mortified. He really hadn't known what he'd been trying to do.

He looked at the paperwork scattered across his desk, fully aware that he hadn't even glanced at it in the past ten minutes. He heaved a sigh of frustration, pushing away from the desk. He needed to clear his head. He'd make a quick lap around the block, resist the urge to sneak out and smoke, and then get back to work.

* * *

Mindy let out a huge sigh of relief as she exited the stall. She suddenly felt magnanimous toward Peter, grateful for his common sense in the face of her own inability to see past the urge to pee. Maybe she would meet up with him and Morgan, have a few drinks, probably vodka, because it had the fewest calories.

In her haste to relieve herself she hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings. She was suddenly struck by how dingy everything in here seemed. It wasn't exactly disgusting, but definitely not the level of pristineness she was used to.

Wrinkling her nose, she smoothed her skirt down and went to wash her hands. She turned the faucet on to wet her hands, but nothing immediately came out, just a strange almost whining noise. She bent down to peer at the spout. Just as she was about to give up, the whining stopped and water spurted out, splashing up in her face and all down the front of her blouse.

She let out a little yelp as she jumped back, an expletive quickly following. The front of her super cute ruffle-front button-up was soaked. She yanked half a dozen paper towels from the dispenser, patting fruitlessly at her chest.

She frowned. She could always just go put her coat on, button it up over this mess and go home, but she'd actually been looking forward to meeting up with Peter and Morgan. As weird as they were, she did enjoy their company occasionally, and since she'd been avoiding Danny, it was like there was some kind of gap in her social life.

She eyed the hand dryer mounted on the wall. That could work. She quickly unbuttoned the blouse, unzipping the high-waisted skirt it was tucked into as she carefully slid it off to avoid wrinkling it any more than it already was. She hung it on a coat hook beside the door. If she was going to put a dry blouse on, she needed to attend to her soaked bra too.

She quickly unhooked the garment, shivering as a draft chased across her skin, raising goose bumps. She turned the hand dryer on and held her bra beneath it, flapping it around to expedite the drying process. The dull roar filled her ears, blocking out all other noises.

* * *

Danny exited his office, heading toward the elevator, prepared to take a walk around the block and back to clear his head, but something stopped him. There was noise coming from the men's restroom. A dull yet incessant racket that sounded as though someone were taking a really long time to dry their hands.

He'd heard Peter and Morgan leave earlier, mentioning something about a bar, and he was fairly sure Jeremy was gone for the day as well. He sighed. For some reason the men's restroom was a continual source of problems. The water pipes constantly had air bubbles in them, the motion sensors on the urinals sometimes went haywire and the damn things ran continually, and sometimes you had to jiggle the handle to even get the door open. It wouldn't surprise him if there was some electrical issue causing the hand dryer to run when no one was there. He pursed his lips, sighing for what felt like the hundredth time.

As he approached the men's restroom, the door to the lady's swung open, and Tamra popped out, makeup freshly applied, wearing a short cocktail dress. Earbuds in at full volume, she nodded at Danny, talking over the music in her ears. "DR. C YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS OFFICE AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. IT'S FRIDAY."

Not waiting for his reply she bobbed over to the elevator and glided out of the office. Right, it's Friday. He could go on a date with some woman he could barely pay attention to. That sounded like a great idea.

He turned back to the men's room, and grabbed the handle, swinging the door wide open, totally unprepared for the sight that greeted him.


	2. CH 2

**A/N: OMG those promos! I'm posting this from the graaaaave! :P I'm loving this little story, i predict one or two more chapters. Please feel free to leave any comments you want, I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE reading what you have to say, it makes my day/night/year/life. :D  
**

Ch 2

Danny strode purposefully into the restroom, intending to make a beeline for the hand dryers. He froze at the sight of Mindy, half naked, bouncing on her heels, shaking something beneath the dryer. His breath caught in his chest. Damn it, was the universe conspiring against him? The harsh fluorescent lighting should have eradicated the warm glow he'd come to associate with her skin, but he found himself dumbstruck by how soft it looked, the swell of one breast peeking out as she focused on the task at hand.

He knew he should say something. She was only slightly angled away from him. At any second she would be aware of him, and then all hell would break loose, but he was frozen, saved from his predicament only by the bang of the door slamming behind him.

Her head whipped around at breakneck speed, her eyes wide with horror. "OH, MY GOD, DANNY! WHAT THE HELL?" She threw her arms up to cover her exposed breasts, her movement causing the still unzipped skirt to slide lower on her hips. "AGAIN, DANNY? DO YOU HAVE A HOMING DEVICE THAT GOES OFF WHEN I UNHOOK MY BRA? GET OUT OF HERE."

He instinctively covered his eyes, recovering somewhat from the shock of seeing her naked yet again. His voice came back to him, as he blindly tried to find his way back to the door. "WHAT? NO!" As always, she found a way to make this his fault, he even felt an apology on the tip of his tongue before snapping out of it. "This is the _men's_ room. How was I supposed to know I would walk in on a wet t-shirt contest?"

"OH MY GOD, DANNY, QUIT STALLING AND GET OUT!" She looked down, finding humor in this situation, she smirked in spite of her discomfort. "You have to have a shirt to be in a wet t-shirt contest."

His jaw clenched at her words, and he flailed around behind him with his free hand in search of the handle. Before he found it, he heard a distinctly Mindy-like squeak accompanied by a worrisome 'oomph.' Chancing her ire, he peeked through his slightly parted fingers. She was sprawled across the bathroom floor, in a decidedly ungraceful heap, one hand clutching at her elbow, her need for modesty suddenly forgotten, she wailed. "DANNY!"

He took it as a sign that he should rush to her aid. Forgetting about their mutual discomfort, he hurried to her, kneeling at her side. In her haste to hide in one of the stalls, she'd spun on her heel, slipping in the water still on the tiles.

Danny pried her fingers away from her injured elbow, gently probing the area in question with his own. Looking up at her face when she sucked in a sharp breath. "You've bruised yourself good, but I don't think there's a fracture or anything." He stared a little too long, becoming hyper aware of the warmth of her skin beneath his touch.

She shivered and he felt the goose bumps rise up under his fingertips, the very sensation eliciting a similar response in himself. He should pull away, avert his eyes, get her shirt for her, do something other than stare at her. He trailed his fingers up the smooth skin along the back of her arm. It took him a second to realize he wasn't the only one staring, breathing shallowly in an effort not to break this strange tableau. Mindy was watching him, a look of inquiry on her face. "Danny?"

Her voice broke the spell over him, he released her abruptly, rocking back on his heels, levering himself upright. "Sorry." He was flustered, suddenly feeling too warm, the heat of embarrassment creeping up the back of his neck to his ears. He didn't know what to do with his hands, or where to look. Glancing up at the ceiling, he crossed and uncrossed his arms, finally turning back to the door he grasped the handle.

His sweaty palm slipped against surface has he twisted and pulled at it. Nothing. The door rattled in its frame. A soft curse escaped his lips and he jerked at the handle again, as if he would get a different result. He leaned forward to rest his head on the cool surface. "Damn it! We're locked in, Mindy."

His back to her still, he heard rather than saw her scramble to her feet. Then he felt her warmth at his back as she approached him, shoving him away to get to the handle. Danny jumped away from her nervously, noticing that she was still topless his hand flew to his eyes again. "God, Mindy, put your shirt back on!"

She ignored him, covering herself with one arm while she jiggled the handle. "What did you do? Why is it stuck?"

Danny yanked her blouse from the hook, holding it out in her general direction, still covering his eyes with his other hand. "What did _I_ do? That's right Mindy, everything's my fault. I _made_ the door handle get stuck. I _made_ you get naked in the men's restroom. I _made_ you trip and fall trying to get away from me."

He felt the material slip from his grasp as she yanked it away. "Oh, shut up, I'm not even naked. I'm topless. Haven't you ever been to a strip club?" She smirked, buttoning up her blouse, then looking at their surroundings. "What are we supposed to do now?"

Danny still face away from her, hand firmly clamped over his eyes. "What? Of course I've been to a… No! Stop it, I'm not arguing with you about the semantics of the states of undress!"

She smiled to herself, reaching up to pull his arm down. "Relax, weirdo, I'm fully clothed again."

Danny relaxed for a second, looking down at her. Somehow donning the garment made his predicament worse. The damp white silk clung to her dark skin, pasting itself to the outline of her nipples. He swallowed, hard, glancing over to where she'd fallen, confirming his suspicion that she'd left her bra lying there. He felt heat pool in the pit of his stomach, and undeniable physical reaction, and he just snapped.

Turning to her, he threw his hands up angrily. "Why do you keep doing this!"

The volume and accusatory tone of his voice took Mindy aback. She took a step back frowning, a crease forming between her eyes as she furrowed her brows. "What the hell are you talking about? I've never locked you in a bathroom before."

Danny groaned in frustration, leaning back against the wall, staring at the ceiling again. He kicked the wall behind him, trying to distract himself from plethora of thoughts zipping in and out of his mind. He felt embarrassing word vomit creeping up on him, and clenched his jaw in an effort to keep it all in.

He felt a light touch on his forearm. "Danny? What is going on with you? You look like you're about to have an aneurism or something."

He recoiled from her touch, still attempting to hang onto his composure. "This! This is what's wrong with me!" He gestured to her, then spun away from her, quickly walking to the other side of the bathroom, crossing his arms as he stared at the wall.

"This?... Me?"

He turned to face her again, his eyes darting from her eyes to her lips then down to the front of her blouse. "Yes. You, and all these ridiculous things you keep doing. Who gets naked in public, in their place of work, _twice_ in one week? Who _does_ that? I just don't get it, Mindy. It's like you're trying to flaunt yourself, trying to get attention." Danny was astonished by the words coming from his lips. They weren't even what he was thinking, they were just an easy way out, a fight to pick to distract her from his obvious shortness of breath, his inability to keep his eyes on her face. "And it's not like you have to. I men two thirds of the male doctors in this office have seen you naked, and Peter already left for the day." His feigned anger picked up speed. "What is this?" He gestured to the room, waving his hands dramatically. "Another one of your man traps?"

She let out an indignant squeak, striding across the space separating them, coming up on him before he could react. She shoved him. "How dare you? What's got you acting like such a dick? This is obviously just bad luck." She narrowed her eyes. "And what makes you think I'd even have to do a man trap to get you? I've seen the way you look at me. You want me, bad." She smiled smugly.

Her comment took the wind out of Danny's sails. His mouth hung open as he stared at her. He didn't know if she believed what she was saying, or if it was just her normal overly confident façade. Either way he felt caught. He snapped his mouth shut, making an impulsive decision. His eyes darkened as he moved closer. "Oh really? How do I look at you?"

Mindy smug look disappeared, being replaced by wide eyed uncertainty. She swallowed. "Uh, you know, like I hung the moon, like, uh…" She crossed her arms in front of her, unsure of herself, her throat was dry. "Like, I'm the Kim to your Kanye."

As she spoke, Danny was creeping increasingly closer. "And?" He reached forward, lightly running his finger up and down the buttons of her blouse.

She cleared her throat, closing her eyes for a second, she reached down deep in to her reservoir of confidence. She threw her shoulders back and opened her eyes again. "You know, like you want to push me up against the nearest wall and kiss me till I can't see straight. Like that."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I thought it was more like I wanted to do this." He reached forward, grasping the front of her blouse, hesitating only a second. What he was about to do could have two very different outcomes. The first of which, was Mindy slapping the hell out of him. The second of which, he barely dared to contemplate.

He hooked a finger in between two buttons, tugging at it sharply. She gasped as the buttons popped off, raining to the floor, bouncing off the tiles. The sound sent desire swiftly racing through him. She regained her breath. "Danny, my blouse! You ruined it—"

He jerked her to him, taking her face in his hands, brushing his fingers along her flushed cheeks. She trailed off, the sound of his voice rendering her speechless. He smiled down at her, feeling like he'd been ripped away from reality. Was this happening? There was still fire in her eyes, presumably anger over her destroyed clothing. "Relax, Lahiri, you never wear anything twice anyway."

She grunted, about to say something, but he stopped her, capturing his lips with hers, sliding one hand away from her face, brushing his palm against the bare skin of her breast. He devoured her gasp as he felt her nipple harden.

She slipped the tattered garment from her shoulders, letting it join the buttons on the cold floor before she threaded her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. Gasping against his mouth, her hands roved over him, tugging at his shirt.

He reached around her, slipping his hand down the back of her unzipped skirt, raising his eyebrows at the feel of her skin against his, the skimpiest scrap of lace masquerading as underwear brushed against his fingers. She shivered in his arms, pulling away slightly, panting. "Is this happening, in the bathroom, at work?"

He grunted in affirmation, pulling her back to him. He smiled as he saw the anger flair up in her eyes. He chuckled, pushing her back against the sink counter, lifting her up to sit on the cool surface. "You want to put this off until we get out of here?"

Her eyes widened. "No."

"Okay, then."

"Okay."


	3. ch 3

**A/N: This, I believe, is the much awaited chapter. ;)... I had fun writing it, and I hope everyone feels free to leave comments and reviews. I love hearing what you all think. This fandom is the best. There should be one more final chapter after this (maybe two, I'm obviously horrible at making these things short :P)**

They kissed frantically, hands everywhere, Mindy tugging at Danny's hair, scraping her nails along his nape. He grasped her waist, pulling her forward on the counter, grunting in frustration at the restraint caused by her pencil skirt.

Impatiently, he tugged it down, lifting her slightly to free the offending garment, all the while barely breaking contact with her lips. He tossed the thing in the floor, pulling her knees apart, a smug little smile on his lips.

Mindy broke away from him, frowning. "Danny, don't throw it in the floor. That's a three hundred dollar article of clothing."

He looked back at her, panting heavily, a shade of neon pink lipstick smeared across his lips. Trying to process what she was saying, he shook his head. "What? Three hundred dollars?"

She smiled, pulling him back to her. "Yeah, I mean, that blouse you destroyed was on sale at TJ Maxx, don't tell anyone by the way, but that skirt was from Alexander McQueen's fall collection, you can't just throw it in the floor."

Danny grunted, still trying to process why she'd put things on pause, when it finally dawned on him, he shook his head, reaching forward to pull her closer. "Are you kidding me? You were just sitting in the floor. I think it'll be ok." Flush against him, the soft cotton of his button down brushing against her breasts, she gasped, a foggy look of desire settling over her face, skirt forgotten.

He pulled her into a slow probing kiss, stopping to look at her face after a couple minutes. She gazed back up at him with dilated pupils, lips parted involuntarily, her mind totally wiped. "Huh?"

She glanced at her hands, firmly grasping his arms through the fabric of his shirt. Frowning, she ran her thumb across the material. "How is it that I'm buck naked, and you're still completely clothed?"

Danny laughed, releasing her momentarily. He reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt. "You had a head start."

She shook her head, stilling his fingers, she brushed his hand out of the way. Palms flat against his chest, she smiled up at him deviously. "That's hardly fair. I had a little help." She fisted her hands in the material at her fingertips, yanking it apart, grinning as the buttons flew in every direction.

"Mindy!"

Danny wanted to be annoyed with her, but the satisfaction on her face was too much. He felt a matching smile slowly rising to the surface. "I guess we're even."

She slipped her hands beneath the open shirt, trailing her fingers along his ribcage, an open look of curiosity on her face. The smile she'd sported so recently fell away, replaced by dry mouthed desire.

He shivered under her touch, pulling her close once again, craving skin to skin contact. Her arms slipped around his back, fingers digging into the muscles along his spine as she pressed herself against him. Her lips found their way to his collar bone, trailing wet kisses up his neck. He felt his heart rate pick up, knocking against his sternum.

She pulled back slightly. "God, Danny, you're like a thousand degrees." Arching her eyebrow, she trailed her hand down his chest, stopping briefly at his navel before dipping down to unbutton his slacks. He was beyond aroused, and when she finally slipped her hand beneath the material, he let out a tortured groan.

Impatiently, he reached behind her, digging his own fingers into her ass as he dragged her against him, capturing her lips with his once more. He kissed desperately, trying to make up for all the times he'd held back. He could feel her panting against him, short labored breaths coming out between kisses.

Reaching down, he skimmed along the soft skin of her inner thigh, his hand hovering at the apex. She pulled away abruptly, her hand grabbing him by the wrist. "Wait." The word came out on a gasp as she shook her head, clearing out the fog.

His stomach dropped to his toes. "You don't…?" She'd changed her mind? He swallowed, beginning to pull back, but she didn't release his wrist. She was still staring at him, passion burning in her eyes, the flush of a clearly aroused woman on her skin, still panting slightly. He didn't understand.

"Hands."

He frowned at her. "What?"

"Wash your hands, Danny. I don't want, like, a UTI or something. You touched that door handle like five minutes ago." She smiled. "And, you're a sweaty mess. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's hot, but like, also, gross."

He was speechless, his mouth dropping open, suddenly feeling self-conscious about the sheen of perspiration on his skin. He raised his arm, swiping at his forehead. Mindy cocked her head to the side, suddenly reminded that Danny surprisingly took a lot of the things she said to heart. Reaching forward, she took his face in her hands and ran her fingers along the stubble at his jaw. She pulled him close, kissing him slowly. "I mean, mostly hot."

He sighed contentedly, reluctantly pulling away from her, turning to the sink. Laughter bubbled up, unbidden, his eyes crinkling as the sound bounced against the tiles. The humor of the situation struck him as he was rinsing his hands off. This was probably the least erotic thing he could think of right now. Washing his hands, and yet he still felt the anticipation in his chest, the need still coursed through him.

He turned to her, hands up, the way he did when he scrubbed in for surgery. He dropped a quick hands-free peck on her lips. She smiled, pulling paper towels from the dispenser next to her head and dried his hands, tossing the used up paper in the floor.

The mirth between them vanished, desire clouding Mindy's eyes, but she didn't release him. She held his hands in front of her, looking at them. "I've always like your hands." The confession was soft, unexpected. "They're strong, yet somehow graceful. Surgeon's hands." She lifted them, placing a feather light kiss on one palm. "I've always wondered, perhaps idly, how they would play across my skin. Would it be tentative, yet determined, like you play the piano?" She shifted to his neglected hand, dropping another kiss there. "Or firm and decisive, like when you're in surgery?"

Danny stared at her as she held his hands, his chest tight, a feeling he wasn't prepared to analyze washing over him. He gently extricated himself from her grasp, settling his hands on the smooth skin of her shoulders. Trailing down her arms, he brushed at her skin, squeezing here and there.

The trail slowed to a stop at her elbows, moving to her torso, he ran his knuckles along her ribcage, brushing the underside of her breasts with his thumbs. She jerked slightly, a gasping giggle escaping her lips. She looked up at him sheepishly. "I may be ticklish… or something."

Frowning, he began to withdraw his touch. "Oh, um, sorry."

Before he could remove his hands she laid her own over his, looking up at him with wide. "No. I like it." After a gentle squeeze, he shifted slightly to palm one of her breasts as he leaned forward, drawn back to her mouth. His other hand settled at her hip, fingers splayed across her smooth skin.

As before, when his lips met hers, it was as though switch had been flipped. A hunger inside of him pulled at her lips, and his hands were suddenly everywhere at once, sliding here and there, trying valiantly to eradicate all barriers between them. She giggled against him, her smile curving against his lips.

He found himself, once again, parting her legs, searching for the heat. He found it this time, slipping between the slick folds, catching the sigh issuing from her lips with his own. Her eyes fluttered shut, brow furrowing as she concentrated on the pulsating feeling within her. Her lips parted, no longer able to concentrate on kissing Danny back, she basked in the pleasure before her as his lips plucked at hers.

She shifted her hips to accommodate his ministrations, and he delved deeper, brushing his thumb against her clit as his fingers curled slightly inside of her, seeking out that illusive center of pleasure. She felt the muscles in her stomach contract as she clenched around him, the hypersensitive nerves responding immediately.

Laughter rumbled through his chest at her reaction. "Ticklish?"

Attempting a reply, little incoherent noises came out of her mouth. He caught the sound issuing from there with a kiss, relishing the vibration against his lips as his fingers moved diligently against her. She was lost to him, temporarily, unaware of her surroundings as she clutched desperately at his shoulders, her fingernails leaving uniform crescent marks on his skin. Her eyes fluttered open, as little shudders of pleasure began to course through her. She said his name over and over between pants.

He hadn't known it would be like this, that just seeing her lose control would be very nearly enough to send him over the edge. He was desperately close. She let go of his shoulders, slipping her hands up his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. She blinked rapidly, trying to regain control of her ability to think. There was something she wanted, needed, urgently. Finding the words proved to be nearly impossible, as he moved expertly against her, applying pressure in the exact right spot. "Danny, wait….. I want…" Her eyes rolled back a little, a whimper escaping her as a second wave of pleasure crashed over her. She could still feel it building within her, that final dam hadn't broken yet. She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating. "Damn it, Danny…. I need you closer… I need more of you."

Seeing her struggle to articulate her desire for him, pushed him up to the precipice. He wanted her as close as possible before taking his own pleasure. He knew feeling her against him, being inside of her, would send him spiraling into the abyss, and he didn't want to leave her disappointed. When he didn't immediately make a move to shift his position, her eyes flew open, lit with impatience.

She reached down, grabbing his wrist tightly as she narrowed her eyes. "Danny!"

He withdrew, reluctantly, making short work of his fly, freeing himself. Grunting as he pushed into her, a spasm shuddered through him, his abdominal muscles clenching briefly. He paused, savoring the wet heat against him. He clutched at her hips, briefly wondering if he'd leave a bruise. He pulled out and thrust into her again, a little more roughly than he'd intended, but he'd already began to lose control.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the hollow beneath his ear. He could hear her little moans of pleasure, sounding out in time to his thrusts. He held on for dear life, hoping that she would find her release before he was finished. Finally, the moans in his ear shifted to a sharp cry as her legs tightened around him, the muscles inside mirroring the action. He thrust into her one last time before shuddering against her.

Echoes of their labored breathing bounced off the tiles around them. Mindy dropped a kiss on his shoulder where she'd pushed his shirt down a bit, not minding the slightly salty taste of his sweat drenched skin.

Danny pulled back enough to look at her, resisting the urge to cup her face and drop light kisses on the corners of her mouth, the bridge of her nose, her temples. Instead, he stared at her, his eyes full of questions, his hands still gripping at her hips. She looked back at him, in a languid state of post-coital bliss, completely unaware of his inner conflict. Her half lidded eyes and smug smile telling him exactly how satisfied she was. He swallowed, making a concerted effort to step back from the unexpected feelings engulfing him.

She looked like that cat who caught the canary, so happy with herself. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch up. Slowly a full blown smile crept across his face. "Looks like your man-trap worked."

She let out an indignant huff, eyes narrowing. "Danny, I told you—"

He stopped her words with a kiss, this time giving into the urge to cup her cheeks gently, one thumb caressing her skin. "I've been trapped for a while now, Lahiri."


	4. CH 4

**A/N: I rushed to get this chapter finished before the episode airs tonight, because I'm afraid I'll just be a quivering puddle of dandy feels, and I won't be able to write for a while :P. As always, please feel free to leave a review or comment, I really appreciate everything you all have to say. I'm so happy to be part of such a happy, smart, and dedicated fandom. Tuesday Tuesday gotta get down on Tuesday!!**

Mindy was floating, the sweat cooling on her skin. The words so recently spoken replayed over and over in her mind. She pulled away from Danny's gentle kiss, leaning back just enough to look at his face. He quickly looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with the vulnerability hanging in the air between them. Her heart, beating away in her chest, sent blood whooshing in her ears with each pulse. Every pore tingled in post-coital bliss, her muscles limp, and yet Danny's words sent an electric shock through her, enlivening her once again. "Trapped?"

He swallowed, pulling back even further, buttoning his slacks as he pulled away. The expression on his face suddenly shuttered, he cleared his throat, turning to retrieve her skirt and blouse from the floor. He needed to compose himself. The softly spoke near-confession had been a mistake. Everything about what they had just done had seemed spontaneous. Shaking his head, trying to forget how foolish he'd just been, he turned back to her, unceremoniously shoving the clothing in her naked lap. "You should, uh, get dressed, so we can figure out how to get out of here."

Mindy sat still, her wrinkled clothing clutched in her hands. An overwhelming urge to cry swept through her, surprising her with its intensity. She was confused. Danny had given her something, briefly, before snatching it back again. She hadn't had time to process what it meant to her. She felt broken hearted, but that didn't make any sense. She wasn't emotionally invested in how Danny felt about her. Hell, until recently she hadn't even entertained the thought of being with him. She didn't understand what was happening.

It's just that he'd been so perfect lately. Perfectly irritating, perfectly grouchy, perfectly arrogant, perfectly sweet trying to reassure her when she was unsure of herself. The soft tone he'd begun to use with her lately sent shivers up her spine. Those carefully calculated comments designed solely to make her feel better. She didn't know a single other person who could do that, who would even bother.

Her attention was caught by the door rattling in its frame. Both of their heads snapped around, staring in horror at the door. Danny lunged forward, scooping Mindy off the counter, tossing her haphazardly over his shoulder. She squeaked, bracing herself against his back with her palms, as his arm locked across the back of her knees.

"Anybody in there?" Doris's voice called out, muffled by the thick door.

Danny spun in a circle, trying to decide what to do. The panic coursing through him. He dove into an open stall, panting as he listened for their intruder. Mindy squirmed against him, trying to climb down. She whispered loudly. "Danny, put me down."

His hands slipped against her legs and he clutched at her more tightly. "Shhhh." He turned and carefully released her, standing her up on the cool porcelain of the toilet, so Doris wouldn't see Mindy's feet poking out from under the stall.

"Danny!" He wasn't paying attention to her, his face pressed firmly against the stall door, trying to peek through the slim crack. "Danny!"

He turned back to her, clearly irritated, an emphatic sshhhh issuing from his lips before he turned back to the door. She reached forward, maintaining her precarious position on the toilet, and shoved at him. "Danny!"

Eyes wide, he turned to her. She matched his expression and dramatically pointed to her left foot. Her bare left foot. Somewhere along the way, one of her flats had flown off, probably when Danny had tossed her over his shoulder like an enthusiastic fireman. She felt herself grinning at the though, feeling more than a little tingly at his display of masculinity, remembering the feel of his shoulder, muscles bunched underneath her fingers.

Understanding settled over him. "Shit." He opened the door again, poking his head through before darting out in to the open area. The door rattled once more, and Danny could hear Doris jangling her keys. He took a deep breath, scanning the tiles before him. He spied her shoe on the floor in the corner by the trashcan. He snatched it, turning back to the stall, he heard the door creak open just as he opened the door, flinging the shoe at Mindy before the stall slammed shut, him on the outside.

He spun around, facing a surprised Doris. "Heeeeey…. Doris." Shit. He sounded stoned. Glancing down at his shirt hanging open, he instinctively moved to button it, belatedly realizing there were no buttons. He crossed the loose panels tucking his hands under his arms.

She frowned, one eyebrow raised. "Is everything ok here?" She gestured to his clothing, her eyes wandering to the floor, noting the buttons scattered across the tiles.

Danny coughed, swallowing. He decided to adopt an air of nonchalance. He leaned against the wall, his hand sweaty hand unable to gain purchase, nearly causing him to fall. "Um, yeah, it's all good. Uh, I slipped, and… my shirt caught on…." He glanced around the room, looking for a plausible excuse for his state of undress. Damn it.

A strangled snort escaped from the stall behind him. Trying to cover the noise, he cleared his throat loudly, knowing it wouldn't really fool anyone. "It, uh, caught on the door latch, and just…." He gestured lamely to himself. "Then the door locked me in."

Doris nodded, clearly not believing a word Danny had said. "Right…" She moved aside, propping the door open, giving Danny a clear path to escape. Shit.

"Um, I still… need to relieve myself. Could you come back in like ten minutes?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sure. Ten minutes. Are you sure you don't need more time?" Winking, she jerked her head toward the stall Mindy was hiding in.

Danny swallowed, answering at an unreasonable volume. "No!... um, I mean, ten minutes is enough."

Doris chucked as she exited, saying she would start on the women's first, she paused, whispering, "Psst, you forgot her bra." She pointed to the garment, slung haphazardly in the corner. She slipped out, muttering something about the seedy underbelly of New York City gynecological offices after dark.

As soon as Doris had left, the stall door swung open, Mindy popping out, clothed once more. She walked over to Danny, clutching her blouse shut. "You are such a terrible liar. I'm going to have to get Doris tickets to a _One Direction_ concert, to buy her silence. I heard her humming _What Makes You Beautiful_ while dusting the other day." Bending over, she hooked her finger in the loops of her bra straps. "Let's get the hell out of here."

They snuck back to their respective offices, buttoning up coats over their tattered clothing. Together once again, standing awkwardly in the descending elevator, Mindy glanced over at Danny. It would never be the same after this. She'd be hard pressed to think of anything other than the feel of his skin against hers when she looked at him. It would be impossible to see him turn into a sweaty mess without remembered the salty taste against her tongue as she kissed along his collar bone.

"What are you looking at?" Danny's voice was grouchy, but it crumbled a little on the last word.

Deciding to continue with her impulsivity, based on the desirable results she'd so far experienced, Mindy smiled broadly at him, reaching down she threaded her fingers through his, feeling him tense up for a moment before relaxing into it. "We have to finish what we started, Castellano. Your place or mine?"

He dragged her against him, using his free hand to cup the back of her neck. He kissed her roughly, relief inspired by her suggestion coursing through him, embodied in the enthusiasm of his lips. He pulled away from her, gasping. "Mine's closer."

She laughed. "Well, I guess that settles it."

"I guess it does."


	5. CH 5

**A/N: I tried very hard to get this updated before Tuesday, I barely made it :P. It's so hard to edit things on iAwriter, so if there are typos or awkward phrasings, i'm sorry. I really really liked this chapter though, I hope you do too, please leave whatever comments you want. I adore them, so much :D.**

Running through the streets of New York, holding hands with someone who'd pretty thoroughly coaxed a full body orgasm from you merely fifteen minutes earlier was a bit of an exhilarating experience. Especially when the wind decided to blow in off the ocean in strangely warm and humid gusts, contributing to the surreality surrounding them.

Mindy and Danny had to force themselves to slow down, and not act like over eager lunatics, still high on a mega rush of endorphins. Even with a concerted effort to slow down, they walked at a furiously fast pace, and when they finally reached the subway, they were practically vibrating with anticipation.

Mindy clung to the pole in the middle of the car, feeling a zing of pleasure shoot through her when Danny took his place beside her, slipping his hand to rest at the small of her back, steadying her further. It was a seemingly insignificant action, one that she'd barely noticed in the past, but now that she thought about it, she was hard pressed to list anyone else who ever employed such a caring gesture.

She felt heat pool in her stomach, and was surprised. A mere touch was enough? She smiled to herself. Well, a lot of touches had been enough earlier, but what surprised her was that she'd failed to notice this particular one all the other times he'd done it. It was strangely protective and affectionate at the same time.

The car jolted, and she bumped into him, his shoulder pressing against her back. Yes, this was very pleasant. Steady once more, she didn't pull away from him, but continued to lean into him, feeling almost cradled by his embrace. The giddy fluttering in her chest, the first disquieting intimation that this was slipping out of her control.

* * *

Mindy felt the humidity settling on her skin and didn't even want to think about what it was doing to her hair. They were a block away from Danny's building, their pace increasing once again. By the time they reached the front doors, their gait had transformed into a brisk walk, bordering on skipping. The idea of Danny skipping had Mindy giggling as they slipped through the doors.

Mindy's arm threaded through Danny's, her head bumping on his shoulder. She smiled up at him, feeling once again that unsettling flutter in her chest.

She opened her mouth, trying to think of smething suggestive to say, something that would distract her from this giddy feeling in her limbs.

She was saved, by an unexpected voice cutting through the atmosphere. "Chloe? I haven't seen you around here in a while."

Mindy's eyes widened, and she felt Danny stiffen at her side. They both turned around slowly, to face the voice echoing in the lobby.

Danny spoke first, his voice cracking uncontrollably as he nearly spat out his neighbor's name. "Amy? Uh, how's… how's it going?"

Amy nodded, smiling. "Good, how is… everything?" She gestured to the pair standing before her, the sweep of her hand seeming to encompass something more than just their physical presence.

Mindy, remembering the parts they'd played so many months ago, kept her arm threaded through Danny's and slipped her fingers down to his hand, interlocking them with his own. Danny briefly glanced down, the sentences forming in his mind for Amy's benefit suddenly erased.

He like the feel of her delicate fingers threaded through his. It was a feeling he didn't think he'd ever get used to. Mindy waited awkwardly for Danny to continue, and when he didn't she jumped in. "So nice to see you Amy, um, I've been really busy that's all."

Abruptly, Amy's face fell, her sweet smile suddenly replaced by a worried frown. She glanced at Mindy's midsection, nodding sadly. "Oh, hon, I'm so sorry."

Mindy didn't understand the rapid change of pace, and was even more confused when Amy took a couple quick steps toward them, throwing her arms around both of them. Her lips at Mindy's ear, she whispered, "I know everything will be fine, these things happen." She pulled back, taking Mindy's hand in hers. She looked at Danny pointedly. "You do have someone who loves you very much. If anything his adoring gaze is even more intense now than it was all those months ago."

Mindy pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to confess the whole "Chloe" charade. She felt guilt from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. It was one thing too fake a pregnancy, a la 'Days of Our Lives,' but she couldn't take the sympathy seeping from Amy's every pore. It just wasn't a situation she could fake, there had been too many times in the past when she'd had to help patients through this, it just didn't seem like something she should do, at the very least on a karmic level.

Amy turned, and was headed toward the doors. Sensing her opportunity to come clean was about to slip through her fingers, Mindy lunged forward, catching Amy by the elbow. "Amy, stop. I was never pregnant. I'm not Chloe. We're not engaged or married." She paused, looking back at Danny, noting his incredulous expression. "Or in love." She had paused before the last words, because she just wasn't one hundred percent sure anymore.

Amy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

"I'm sorry. Sometimes Danny and I combined don't make the most adult decisions. He didn't know what too do about his relationship with you, since you two were clearly on different wave lengths, and I just happened to be here." She let out a really long breath. "I'm so sorry. I'm a sucker for opportunities to flex my naturally dramatic abilities. I got caught up in it, and then I just didn't want Danny to hurt your feelings. He was being kind of a psychopath about the whole thing."

"Hey-"

She cut him off. "But, I really think it's because his wife did a real number on him. Destroyed his ability to relate to women on anything other than a physical level."

"What are you-"

She continued, ignoring his annoyed interruption. She was beginning to get into her explanation, adopting her narrated-by-Mindy-Lahiri voice. "She ripped out his heart, leaving him unable to connect on any real emotional level."

Amy narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious of the things Mindy was saying. "You're not Chloe?"

Mindy shook her head, her story telling bravado falling away once again. Amy pointed at Danny. "This is Mindy, isn't it?"

Danny's mouth dropped open, and Amy smirked. "I knew it. God, nobody talks about someone that much if they don't have feelings. I don't care if you think you were complaining, she clearly got under your skin."

"What?" This time Mindy and Danny spat out the question in unison. "I swear, most nights I'd come over after he got home from work, and he'd spend like an hour talking about his day, about you." She shook her head, a smile still on her face. "I don't know what you think is going on here, but you two should really try and figure it out. For everyone's sake."

With that Amy spun around and left the building, Mindy and Danny standing dumbtruck at the foot of the stairs. Danny in particular was shaken by Amy's words. He felt nauseated, a nervousness swirling inside of him. Amy had done it again, pointed out something he was hesitant to admit to himself.

Lust was easier. It was understandable. It had a definite beginning middle and end. He knew what to do about it. He swallowed, turning surreptitiously to peek at her. She was still staring at the big double doors, her lips still parted slightly in confusion.

Hoping to regain the momentum from earlier, he hooked his hand in the crook of her elbow, pulling her to him again. Her lips twitched up into a little half smirk. Danny felt his heart rate pick up, sending blood rushing through his veins. He was ready again. It was all he could do not to drag her up the stairs like a horny teenage boy.

He pulled her closer, leaning in for a kiss, pausing a hair's breadth away from her lips. Their breaths mingled hotly, his nose brushing against her cheek, before he plucked at her lips. "Where were we?"

Mindy smiled, giggling. She reached down to grab his hand, pulling him excitedly up the stairs. He felt a smile spreading across his face, laughter bubbling up in his chest. The woman was a mind reader.

* * *

Hair mussed, sheet clutched to her breast, Mindy stared up at the ceiling in wonder, trying very hard to string the endless list of adjectives floating around her brain into coherent thoughts. She didn't have much success, instead she tried to focus on the cadence of her breaths, coming out in short pants. "Oh, God, Danny…. wow."

She heard the matching pants beside her pause for a second, replaced temporarily by a low chuckle. She felt his arms snake around her waist, pulling her back up against his chest. She thought, briefly, to complain about his slick sweaty skin pressed up against hers, but it seemed redundant since her own was just as damp, and hell, she even found it kind of hot, in a primal kind of way. "I'm so hot."

He growled, his nose tucked into the hollow of her neck, breathing in the scent of flowers and musk. "Yeah."

She laughed. "No, well, yes I'm hot, but also, it's a hundred degrees in here. I'm burning up."

It was muggy, no doubt contributing to the moisture clinging to their bodies. One of those inexplicably warm New York City nights. Danny was drenched, and he would have been self-conscious about it, but he was just too relaxed.

She propped herself up on her elbow in search of a better view. "Is there something wrong with your air conditioner?" She squirmed around, pulling the sheet with her, careful to keep most of her body covered, leaving Danny with barely a square foot of carefully placed coverage. She swiped at her forehead with the back of her hand.

He touched her shoulder, trailing his fingers down her arm. "It's the middle of January, it's not on. What the hell is going on with the weather?" He tugged at the sheet still clutched in her hands. "You know, if you're hot, you probably don't need so much… coverage."

Mindy looked down, suddenly hyperaware of the lamps glowing on either side of his bed. Her shoulders hunched forward a little, her hair forming a curtain that obscured her face.

"Mindy?" Danny's teasing tone faded away. He reached up, brushing the hair away from her face. "We talked about this." He drew his thumb across her cheek, trailing down to her chin, guiding her gaze back to him. "You know what I think."

She let out a long breath. "It isn't about you really. Sometimes I just let little insecurities get to me." She smiled at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She snuck her hand down to his bicep, squeezing it playfully. "Not that you would know about insecurities, Mr. Smoldering Hot Italian."

Danny laughed, flexing his muscles a little under her touch. "Mindy I get it. I do."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure."

He grabbed her hand. "No, really. I do. You don't think I have insecurities. First of all, you totally zero in on them when you're mad at me, so don't pretend you don't notice."

"What?" She feigned shock.

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm sweaty, curmudgeonly." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Apparently I have disgusting feet, and I'm too short."

Mindy's expression softened. She reached over, brushing the hair across his forehead. The sheet slipped down but she didn't bother to reposition it. "Not too short, actually." She felt warm honey oozing through her limbs, settling heavily in her chest as she remembered how perfectly she tucked into him. She smiled. "But your feet really are disgusting, we should do something about that."

Pretending to be outraged he rose from the bed, jerking the sheet with him. She gasped, rising to her knees. "Where are you going with that?"

He smiled, draping one end over his shoulder like a toga. "I'm taking my disgusting feet elsewhere, Lahiri. Gonna go open some windows, try to cool down this apartment."

She hopped out of the bed, trailing after him as he flitted from window to window, unhooking the latches, pushing them up. Finally he stopped at the huge windows adjacent to his living room.

The view was amazing, hundreds of sparkling city lights glinted below them. Mindy shivered as the cooling air flowed through open window sending a cascade of goose bumps across her skin. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, leaning into Danny's back as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "The city is so beautiful at night. Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky. I mean, I get to live here, to stand here with a hot guy, gazing at one of the most beautiful sights most people never even get to see."

He shifted slightly, turning toward her. In a swift motion he jerked the sheet off, whipping it in the air before settling it over both of them. Sure, the view below was stunning, something that he'd actually thought about when buying this apartment, but it was something he'd seen thousands of times, and would see thousands more. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her face. Her sincere enjoyment filled him with awe, his jaded heart thumped a little more wildly than usual. He swallowed. "Yeah, it is a beautiful sight."


End file.
